Following the team with a unique perspective on all things Phillies. Email me: PhilliesPhollowers@comcast.net – Peace, Love & Baseball – Jenn

Lidge: 11 Strikes, And He’s Out…Or Is He?

The Phillies needed a win last night to bury the Florida Marlins and end any chance they may have at the playoffs.Cole Hamels pitched 7 innings and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits.Not a great day for Cole, but it kept the team in the game.

The team took a 6-4 lead into the 8th inning last night and after a 45 minute rain delay, Ryan Madson pitched the 8th.Madson gave up a single, hit the next batter and eventually gave up one run to make it a 6-5 game.Ok, fine.They should still win the game, right?Wrong.

Enter (again) Brad Lidge: a double, a walk and 2 singles later, not only does Lidge blow the save, but he loses the game for the Phillies…again.

11 blown saves later, a disgusting 7.48 ERA which leads all closers in baseball and what does manager Charlie Manuel have to say about it?In a Forrest Gump moment, Manuel tells the media, “I’ve got confidence in him. I keep sending him back out there and hopefully he does the job. That’s about all I can say.”Really?Is that ALL you have to say about that???OMG.

Ok, let me throw a cushion out there for a second – we all love Manuel and we all appreciate Lidge for what he did last year.And as people, they are both very nice, dedicated and all-around good guys.That being said, here come the pins in the cushion.Lidge is DONE as this team’s closer, at least for 2009.Manuel, as loyal as he is, needs to put the TEAM first and personal feelings aside.He cannot continue to let Lidge hurt this team!

I sound like a broken record again, I know.But how many more disasters does the rest of this team have to put up with?They play their hearts out every game to win only to be let down by BOTH Lidge and Manuel.Lidge clearly has issues and maybe he can work them out in the off-season and come back next year renewed.But for 2009, he should be benched and if the team makes the playoffs, he should not even be on the post-season roster.

Note I said “if” the team makes the playoffs.With a 6.5 game lead, it should be a lock.However, if Manuel keeps throwing Lidge out there, I’d say the chances are closer to 50/50.Give the closers role to Madson or Brett Myers, if he gets healthy or even JC Romero if he returns soon.I would rather see Eric “unassisted triple play” Bruntlett (Phillies utility player) on the mound than Lidge at this point.It is THAT bad.So, why does everyone see this except for Manuel?

Charlie: I love ya, but if this team goes down in flames because of your loyalty to Lidge, the Philadelphia fans, media and maybe even the team management will tear you to pieces.And how are the other players going to feel when their hard work goes down the toilet as a result?I would not want to be in your shoes when this happens.

And so the Magic Number stays at 5 since the Phillies lost their series to the Fish, 1-2.Up next, the Phils will play a 4-game series in Milwaukee against the Brewers starting tonight at 8:05pm.I wish them luck and a “Lidge-Free” day.

I’m confused. I thought it was announced that Lidge would no longer be the Phillies’ closer? Or maybe I just read your wishful thinking on this blog. LOL! Either way, there’s nothing funny about how frustrated you must be. I wouldn’t want him on the mound for my team at this point! Yikes!

Lidge isn’t one of my favorite guys. Just check out http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/ for their latest rendition on how bad he is. I never like a guy like that and in Boston thank god we have Pap.😉

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